SaaStr

JULY 9, 2025

The Evidence: Owner sees 3-4x productivity gains, but only from AI-native reps At Windsurf, 7 out of 10 seasoned reps quickly shot over their annual quota , with one rep closing $1.6 The Trust Factor : Dmitry Shevelenko identifies trust as “the scarce asset of the agentic internet.” ” Moreno asks.

Technical Sales

Salesforce

FEBRUARY 3, 2025

The process comes in multiple stages: Awareness of the solution Interest in benefits Evaluation of fit Decision-making Onboarding Ongoing usage (loyal customer) Agentforce A complete AI system that integrates data, AI, automation, and humans to deploy trusted AI agents for concrete business outcomes.

Objectives and Key Results

SaaStr

JUNE 1, 2025

But if you dont already have a repeatable sales process and at least two reps hitting quota, a VP of Sales will just burn cash trying to figure it out. If you dont trust them with your precious early leads, theyll fail. Pay well, and make sure your best reps are earning big commissions.

Commission

Sales Hacker

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

I had some sales experiments experience before going into consulting after my MBA, but not sort of AE quota carrying type work. They’re not necessarily a quota carrying AE, but they’re in the commercial team and they’re helping the commercial team. You want your early AEs to hit their quotas. Joe DiMento: Yeah.

GTM

Veloxy

MARCH 23, 2023

In 2018, Salesforce found that only 57% of salespeople expected to hit their quota. Jump to 2022, and Salesforce found that a staggering 72% of salespeople expected their team to miss annual quota. Yet, the sales organization is failing to crush their quota, let alone hit it. Why is sales quota important?

Quota

Partners in Excellence

FEBRUARY 6, 2020

One person took a position that one could not be a “Trusted Advisor,” and be on commission. He later extended the argument to include being accountable for achieving a quota compromised the ability of the sales person to be trusted. I read a discussion between some wickedly smart people.

Commission

Salesforce

OCTOBER 9, 2024

The sales commission process plays an important role in motivating sales teams and therefore drives top line revenue growth — arguably the most important metric organizations track. There are many benefits to implementing sales commission software, but we’re going to focus on the four most important. Learn more 1.

Commission

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 27, 2015

I’ve been at the periphery of a number of discussions about commissions and sales. Usually there’s one camp evangelizing the evils of commission (There’s one CEO making a lot of noise on this issue in LinkedIn, though I suspect he has not given up his own executive bonus/incentive compensation plan.).

Commission

Sales Hacker

MARCH 10, 2021

However, if 100% of your sales reps are hitting their quota every single quarter, it may not be cause for celebration. You don’t want reps to hit 100% – aim for 60% of reps hitting quota. A healthy sales organization should aim for about 60% of reps hitting their quota. If it shoots up to 80–85%, it’s time to re-evaluate quotas.

Quota

Sales Pop!

AUGUST 2, 2023

There could be more upfront or one-time costs, such as commissions, salary, hiring costs, etc. If you already have a sales team, check if they’re hitting their target metrics and quotas. Trusting others to handle the work can be challenging. Is Sales Outsourcing Right for You? Are You Able to Give Up Control?

Represent

Veloxy

DECEMBER 28, 2023

Johnson & Johnson and Cisco Systems are examples of companies that offer competitive outside sales positions, where outside sales salary varies depending on factors such as experience, industry, and commission structure. Building Customer Relationships Forging robust customer relationships holds significant importance in outside sales.

Outside Sales

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 23, 2015

People on a profit sharing plan, but with no quota, not prospecting, without commissions, dedicated to the customers’ success. Then there’s that commission thing… Brian, and many like him are opposed to commission, but still revel in bonus programs. We’ve all been there, heard that, seen that.

Commission

Sales Hacker

OCTOBER 19, 2022

Related: 8 Things to Review Before Accepting a Sales Commission Plan. He experienced this firsthand last year at his previous company when an employee satisfaction survey revealed that compensation and commissions marked the top area of disdain amongst reps. Managing the unknowns and building trust. Providing transparency.

Commission

Sales Hacker

APRIL 19, 2022

In this article, I’ll outline the principles of compensation design , how to build sales compensation plans , and include resources to set OTEs and quotas that keep your reps happy and hungry for more. And, quotas have gotten increasingly harder to hit. Meanwhile, finance-owned plans yielded the least confidence or trust in the plans.

Commission

SaaStr

MARCH 27, 2021

The at first nonobvious thing about discounting is the dynamic: Sales reps on commission will naturally do 2 things: First, they’ll quote at list price. That’s Maximum Commission, after all. So yeah — that’s what you’d do if you were a successful, experienced rep on commission and quota.

Commission

A Sales Guy

NOVEMBER 19, 2018

Buyers want salespeople who are emotionally connected to their outcome, not focused on quota, Presidents Club and their next commission check. Buyers want real trusted advisors, not the self-proclaimed, proverbial buzzword “trusted advisor.” ” Buyers want authenticity.

Sell

Sales Hacker

MARCH 27, 2020

We’re already out there with 50% of our compensation on the line in commission. Companies will be tightening belts and empathy doesn’t count towards quota. If you invest in people in the tough times, without just expecting an immediate return, you will most certainly earn that trust and the opportunity when the time is right.

Prospecting

Understanding the Sales Force

MAY 22, 2013

There is commission at stake and that adds a level of pressure and emotion that causes many salespeople to let their opportunity get derailed. The money conversation adds a level of pressure that does not exist when one simply has an idea to sell. Selling professionally requires that all of those criteria be established.

Sell

SaaStr

JANUARY 5, 2024

Hiring the Right SDR Profile “If you can hire someone you trust first, do that,” Ashley shared. With SDRs, especially in the early days, they’re likely fresh out of school or in the early stages of their career, so you can’t point to previous work experience and ask if them they were hitting quota or top of the board.

Quota

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 12, 2024

And to win that business, we have to discount deeply–getting approvals is such a hassle and it impacts our commissions. I understood them, they understood me, we built trust and confidence with each other. I was building my experience and knowledge, I was building deep trust with people.

Sell

Partners in Excellence

DECEMBER 30, 2021

” As sales people, we focus on our goals, quotas, and commissions. Usually, when we think about thing, we focus on our return, we answer the question, “How do we make things better for ourselves?” The customer is only a vehicle for achieving those. As leaders, too often, we focus on ourselves and our own goals.

Commission

Salesforce

OCTOBER 14, 2024

Does your sales team trust you? The foundation of any good relationship is trust, and relationships in sales are no exception. If your team doesn’t trust that you have their best interests in mind, they won’t respect your decisions or take your direction. So how do you foster a culture of trust on your sales team?

Commission

SaaStr

MARCH 29, 2021

Pay (commissions) twice. For most partner programs, you may have to pay commissions twice: to the partner, and again to your own sales / success team. And put them on quotas, generally … but ones they can achieve. Sales reps will only bring customers into deals they know they can trust. Later, you can nuance this.

Commission

Eliminate Your Competition

SEPTEMBER 12, 2020

Selling is a difficult career in which to make a living; it is not uncommon to have the commission check denied before the salesperson even gets a chance to win. In any organization that exceeds 25% turnover, the loss of trust with the customer can be astounding as the new salesperson tries to rebuild the entire relationship.

Retail

Partners in Excellence

NOVEMBER 22, 2022

We have our goals and quotas to make. It’s coming onto the Holiday Season, we need those commission checks! We structure our engagement processes in a manner that is optimal for us, yet doesn’t promote relationship and trust building with the customer. But, what about us–the sellers?

Customers

Hubspot

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

Sales compensation ranges from zero-commission (retail salespeople, for example) to pure commission (your salary is completely determined by performance.) Unlike a closing sales rep, SDRs don’t carry a traditional quota. The Bridge Group also found average SDR compensation (base plus commission) is $72,100.

Territory

Hubspot

JUNE 8, 2021

This process means SDRs typically aren't held to traditional quotas but to the number of calls they make or qualified leads they gather. Depending on the company, the compensation for an SDR can be a base salary, commission-based, or a combination of base plus commission. Image Source. Image Source. Image Source. Image Source.

Commission

Sales Hacker

FEBRUARY 6, 2023

Furthermore, transparent territories and quotas keep sellers happy. Not only does this reduce seller turnover, it means less firefighting and fewer tactical distractions, thereby enabling the ops to shift from a supporting role to a true, trusted strategic partner for the business.

GTM

SaaStr

JANUARY 27, 2023

Social Network: This might seem counter to traditional advice about not mixing personal relationships with business, but there may be promising opportunities with friends and acquaintances you trust. A draw means paying a seller their full commission for the first few months as they start at the company. Use your best judgment.

Commission

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 4, 2014

Salesperson: Our new product addresses these issues #pleasebuymyproduct #quota. forecast #quota #commission. It’s rooted in trust, a relationship, and caring. Can you see how it improves $’s? Customer: #WTF! I don’t know what Insite did U give? Imgettingpissed. Customer: You lost me, where R we going?

Conversion

A Sales Guy

NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Selling isn’t about you, your quota, your commission check or making your sales manager proud. When the sales person is uninformed, the buyer’s trust in the sales person is eroded. A sales person plays the defining role in the buying experience and if they screw it up, they can screw up the sale.

Customers

Lead Fuze

DECEMBER 1, 2021

3 Steps to Build a Culture of Trust-Based Selling in Your Team: Why is Trust Important to a Salesperson. Trust is the key to making sales in today’s world. How do you build trust with the buyer? Why is Trust Important to a Salesperson? Trust is the risk-reward balance. Relationship.

Trust

Salesforce

NOVEMBER 28, 2023

Overcomplicate a sales compensation plan, and you’re left with sales reps who aren’t clear on their goals or hungry to hit their quota. It includes their regular salary — typically calculated as annual pay — and other financial incentives, like commissions for sales and bonuses for reaching targets.

Commission

Sales Hacker

JUNE 20, 2023

If I took 40 new calls in a month, I’d close 4+ deals and hit my quota. Here is your notice that if you or a team member has been going through something, please reach out to someone on your team that you can trust. When you start asking these types of questions, your “commission breath” starts to disappear.

Sell

SalesLoft

MAY 21, 2019

Companies are spending more than ever before on technology, but fewer reps are hitting quota (Forbes tells us only 53% of reps hit quota , for example). In February 2019, we commissioned a study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of SalesLoft to find out just how much ROI companies using our platform can enjoy.

Technology

CloserIQ

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

The sales person usually (or always) fails to meet quota. Since bad hires usually don’t earn commission, your company won’t be out any commission money, but the base salary alone can be significant. Research the references to ensure whether they are qualified sales professionals whose judgment can be trusted.

Commission

Sales Hacker

SEPTEMBER 10, 2018

Bringing salespeople in for an interview before you’ve figured out exactly how you’ll compensate them for their work leaves you in a tongue-tied, unenviable position when eager candidates ask about things like quotas, sales incentives, what data you use to set goals, and how often your team exceeds those goals.

Quota